(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a panel having a polystyrene bead board (STYROFOAM.TM.) core encased in a plastic film layer in a manner which very significantly strengthens the panel. In particular, the present invention relates to a panel wherein the polystyrene bead board (STYROFOAM.TM.) bead board core is able to be constructed in any configuration to enable the panel to be attached to free standing furniture or to be used separately or with other panels to form office dividers.
(2) Prior Art
The prior art has described several uses for panels having a foam core encased in an outer material. Illustrative of the prior art using foam panels are U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,059 to Sawyer; U.S. Pat. No. 2,896,271 to Kloote et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,086,599 to Meyerson and U.S. Pat. No. 3,230,681 to Allen et al.
Sawyer describes a concrete forming device wherein foam pieces surrounded by a non-permeable, laminated plastic film are adapted for use in the concrete casting and a method for forming the panels. The foam panels are used as liners for the concrete forms.
Kloote et al describes the construction of an enclosure for a refrigerated area using laminated panels. The panels have a polystyrene core with polyester resin facing sheets. The panels are manufactured to have a low coefficient of thermal transmission as well as being impervious to moisture.
Meyerson describes a joint for connecting adjacent structural panels for building. The panels have a polystyrene bead board (STYROFOAM.TM.) core with an outer skin laminated to the core. Preferably, the skin is made up of aluminum. The panels may be used for roofing or sidewalls, interior or exterior.
Allen et al describes a means using a splice member to connect foam laminated panels in edge to edge relationship to reduce thermal leakage.
The prior art also shows various building panels having a foam core with an outer layer. Illustrative are U.S. Pat. No. 3,327,441 to Kelly; U.S. Pat. No. 3,363,378 to Palfey; U.S. Pat. No. 3,563,845 to Stevens; U.S. Pat. No. 3,970,502 to Turner; U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,710 to Kaufman et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,641,468 to Slater; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,903 to Nordskog.
Kelly describes an insulated structural member comprised of a beam of rigid plastic foam reinforced by metal bars bound therewith by a combination of a wrapping material of low thermal conductivity and a thermosetting binder substantially impregnated therein. The member is fixed within a main body of insulation and then a skin is provided to cover the entire assembly. The beams may be made of any stiff, plastic foam such as polyurethane, polystyrene, phenolic and the like or other suitably stiff insulating material such as preformed resin bonded fibrous glass insulation and the like. The bars may be of any metal such as steel, aluminum and the like. The wrapping material may be any material of low thermal conductivity woven, non-woven or unwoven including webbed and continuous material and filamenting wound fibrous material, such as woven glass fibers or cloth, jute, linen, thermoplastic fibers or sheets or the like. The outer skin of the entire assembly is made of fiberglass reinforced epoxy resin laminate or other materials such as resin reinforced polystyrene or other plastic laminate, metal, plywood and the like may be used.
Palfey describes sandwiched panels used for the construction of enclosures. The panels are comprised of a core divided into sections with stiffeners positioned between each section and face sheets on either side of the core. The core is made from a synthetic resinous foam such as foamed polystyrene, foamed polyurethane, foamed phenolic resinous compositions and the like. The face sheets are made of such materials as hardboard, fiberboard, plywood, metal sheets and the like.
Stevens describes a three-layered plastic thermally insulating panel-like composite. The first layer is composed of a cellular polyurethane material. The second layer is composed of an organic rigid polymeric solid. The third layer is composed of an organic, rigid polymeric solid. The solid is comprised of an interpolymer system of monovinyl aromatic compound and alpha-electronegatively substituted ethane compound.
Turner describes a building panel having a foam core with an outer skin bonded to the opposite sides thereof. Edge members extend along the entire length of the panel and are adhesively bonded to the foam core and to the outer skins to provide rigidity to the panel. The skins are laminated onto the foam core by a solvent based adhesive. The solvent is blocked from contact with the foam by a water based adhesive composition which is compatible with the foam core. The core is made of polystyrene and the outer skins are made of steel.
Kaufman et al describes a composite laminated decorative panel for use in building wall systems. The panel is a three component sandwich panel comprised of a thermoplastic shell which is laminated with a weatherable coating, a rigid foam center and a fire blocking backerboard. The thermoplastic shell is made of ABS (a mixture of styrene acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN) with SAN-grafted polybutadiene rubber) although, other materials such as PC-PVC or polystyrene can be used. The weatherable coating is made of a high gloss, high impact sheet extrusion resin or a acrylic film or a polyvinyldiene fluoride (PVDF). The foam center is polyurethane rigid foam. The backerboard is preferably a non-combustible fiber reinforced cement panel.
Slater describes a panel structure for use in building systems for the construction of buildings. The panel is comprised of a plurality of elongated slabs of rigid structural grade polystyrene foam insulation material. The slabs are held together and bonded to rigid framing members made of steel. The opposing surfaces of the panel are covered with a variety of skins, such as plywood, sheet rock or cementitious stucco-like material or glass reinforced acrylic resin coating.
Also of interest are U.S. Pat. No. 3,213,071 to Campbell; U.S. Pat. No. 3,281,510 to Lovret; U.S. Pat. No. 3,304,219 to Nickerson; U.S. Pat. No. 3,389,195 to Gianakos et al; U.S. Pat. No. 3,410,931 to Johnson and U.S. Par. No. 3,468,771 to Pedlow which describe different types of laminated foam board and different methods of manufacturing laminated foam board.
The prior art does not show a panel for use with office furniture or as a room divider which has a polystyrene bead board (STYROFOAM.TM.) core covered by a plastic film layer which strengthens the core to allow use of the core without the need for additional structural support. There remains a need for such a panel which is lightweight for easy assembly and yet durable to withstand punctures without damage to the core of the panel.